1. Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of emergency lighting systems. More particularly, the present invention consists of an emergency lighting system and method for lighting and indicating escape paths in emergencies and/or for providing emergency lighting in a power outage situation.
2. Background of the Invention
A safe escape route from a home or building is critical in emergencies such as fire/smoke emergencies and power outages. In order to exit safely, a person must be aware of the safe escape route and must also be able to see well enough to maneuver through the escape route. In commercial buildings, traditional “EXIT” signs are used to point the way to safety in emergency situations. These signs, however, are generally located near the ceiling, and may become obscured by the presence of smoke in a smoke/fire emergency. Also, these signs generally provide no indication as to whether or not the escape path through the exit is actually safe for use as an escape path.
Lighting strip systems have been available for several years along the aisles of airplanes to mark an emergency egress route, and have more recently been proposed for use to light predetermined escape routes in buildings and homes. One such system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,130,909. This system improved over lighted “EXIT” signs because it provided a light source that is physically closer to the individuals seeking safety and because they are located on or close to the floor, where smoke is unlikely to obscure their glow. This system did not, however, include emergency detection capability or a power supply source. Additionally, this system was designed to be installed in the floor, either embedded in the floor covering or installed at the junction of the floor and the walls, a design that might not lend itself to cost-effective retrofitting.
Sophisticated emergency lighting systems have been developed to overcome some of the shortcomings of discrete lighted “EXIT” signs and simple strip lighting. One such system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,545. This system provides a programmable processor which evaluates input data from a plurality of detectors of smoke, heat, CO2, and other gases, determines the safe emergency routes, and illuminates emergency lighting and egress information, including text messages, through transparent floor material. This prior art provides all of the information that a person needs to exit a building safely in case of fire, but its applicability to the general populace is likely limited by its sophistication and its price. This prior art includes a central processing unit, sophisticated circuitry, and custom software. It also requires custom flooring material. This prior art also does not provide simple emergency lighting in a power outage, that can be provided at a low cost.
It would be desirable to provide a simple and economical emergency lighting system which is capable of pointing the way toward a safe escape exit during a fire and also provides emergency lighting during power outages, and one that can be retrofit onto existing structures at little cost.